exaggeration

[ig-zaj-uh-rey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of exaggerating or overstating.

2. an instance of exaggerating; an overstatement.

   His statement concerning the size of his income is a gross exaggeration.

Other Word Forms

• nonexaggeration noun
• overexaggeration noun
• self-exaggeration noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of exaggeration¹

1555–65; < Latin exaggerātiōn- (stem of exaggerātiō ), equivalent to exaggerāt ( us ) ( exaggerate ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

A lawyer for the Angels said in a pretrial hearing that the plaintiffs now seek a judgment of $1 billion, although the lead attorney representing the family said the number is an exaggeration.

From Los Angeles Times

A cartoon version of Jenny Schecter come to life, what transpires in her novel is close, if not on the nose, to what takes place around her, buffered by changed names and literary exaggerations.

From Salon

"It will not be an exaggeration to say that this heart-rending brutal crime was not just against Lakshmi, but it's a crime against humanity," Judge Choudhary said in his order.

From BBC

Liverpool were not at their best, struggling for fluency and frustrated, but "suffering" is certainly a glass-half-full exaggeration of proceedings from the beaten Arsenal manager.

From BBC

Without a hint of exaggeration, it could have been 10.

From BBC

Related Words

• baloney 
• excess 
• fabrication 
• falsehood 
• fantasy 
• hyperbole 
• misjudgment www.thesaurus.com
• misrepresentation 
• untruth